Cheesy Garlic Chicken Rigatoni Casserole (Printable Version)
Creamy garlic cheese sauce coats tender chicken and rigatoni in this baked casserole.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz rigatoni pasta
→ Chicken
02 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Sauce
06 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 2 cups whole milk
10 - 1 cup chicken broth
11 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
15 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Topping
16 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Season diced chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5–7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
05 - Gradually whisk in milk and chicken broth until smooth. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Simmer 3–5 minutes until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan until melted.
06 - Add cooked chicken and rigatoni to the cheese sauce. Stir until evenly coated.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over top.
08 - Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.
09 - Let casserole rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The homemade cheese sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- Leftovers, if they even exist, reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
- The sauce will seem thin when you first combine it with the pasta, but it thickens beautifully during baking
- Overcooking the chicken during the initial sear makes it tough in the final dish, so pull it when it is just done
03 -
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded for better melting
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining, the starch helps the sauce cling